“That’s about as quick as you can do it and get proper distribution,” Held told The New York Times.

American readers who wanted the book had been ordering copies from the UK before now. Simon Key, who works at the Big Green Bookshop in London, told the Guardian of the unusual demand the store was receiving from US readers for the book.

“People have been getting in touch by email and Twitter,” Key said. “It is unusual, as an independent London bookshop. We don't generally sell a lot of books in America.”